Data transfer utilizing preview data

ABSTRACT

In an image data server  200,  a preview data generation unit  218  generates preview data corresponding to image data, and a transmission controller  211  transmits the preview data to a computer system  100  in an image receiver apparatus. In accordance with another possible application, the preview data is not generated by the image data server  200,  but is generated by a computer system  300  in an image transmitter apparatus, which transmits the image data to the image data server  200,  and transmitted to the image data server  200.  In the computer system  100  in the image receiver apparatus, a display controller  113  causes the contents of the preview data to be displayed on the screen of a monitor  150.  The user determines whether or not the image data corresponding to the displayed preview image is required. In response to an instruction for transfer of the image data input from the user, a transmission controller  111  transmits a request for transfer of the image data to the image data server  200.  The transmission controller  211  then transmits the image data, which is the object of the request for transfer, to the computer system  100  in the image receiver apparatus. A print controller  114  causes the image data to be subjected to predetermined image processing, and a printer  180  prints the processed image data on a printing sheet of paper. This arrangement of the present invention enables the image receiver apparatus to selectively receive only the required data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technique for transmitting databetween apparatuses respectively connected to a network.

2. Description of the Related Art

Facsimile and E-mail are known means for transmitting image data betweenapparatuses respectively connected to a telephone communication network,the Internet, or an intranet.

These known means transmit image data irrespective of the intentions ofa receiver, and do not allow the receiver to selectively receive onlythe required image data. The image data generally has an extremely largedata capacity. In the case where the transmitted image data is notrequired, such data transmission wastefully consumes the communicationresources as well as the resources in the receiver, such as printingpaper (in the case of facsimile) and the data storage area (in the caseof E-mail).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is thus to provide a data transfersystem and a method of data transmission that allow a receiver toselectively receive only required data.

At least part of the above and the other related objects is realized bya data transfer system including: a transmitter; and a receiverconnected to the transmitter via a network. The transmitter includes amemory that stores original data, a first transmission unit thattransmits the original data and preview data created corresponding tothe original data, and a first controller that controls operation of thetransmitter. The receiver includes a second transmission unit thatreceives at least the preview data, an input unit, an output unit, and asecond controller that controls operation of the receiver. The firstcontroller causes the first transmission unit to send the preview datato the receiver, whereas the second controller receives the preview datafrom the second transmission unit and subsequently causes the outputunit to output a preview image represented by the preview data. Thesecond controller causes the second transmission unit to send a requestfor transfer of the original data to the transmitter when an instructionfor transfer of the original data is input into the receiver via theinput unit. The first controller causes the first transmission unit tosend the original data stored in the memory to at least one of thereceiver and another apparatus connected to the network when receivingthe request for transfer of the original data from the firsttransmission unit.

The present invention is also directed to a transmitter for transmittingdata to a receiver via a network. The transmitter includes: a memorythat stores original data; a transmission unit that transmits theoriginal data and preview data created corresponding to the originaldata; and a controller that controls operation of the transmitter. Thecontroller causes the transmission unit to send the preview data to thereceiver. The controller causes the transmission unit to send theoriginal data stored in the memory to at least one of the receiver andanother apparatus connected to the network when receiving a request fortransfer of the original data transmitted from the receiver via thetransmission unit.

The present invention is also directed to a receiver for receiving datafrom .a transmitter via a network. The receiver includes: a transmissionunit that receives at least preview data created corresponding tooriginal data; an input unit; an output unit; and a controller thatcontrols operation of the receiver. The controller causes the outputunit to output a preview image represented by the preview data whenreceiving the preview data transmitted from the transmitter viatransmission unit. The controller causes the transmission unit to send arequest for transfer of the original data to the transmitter when aninstruction for transfer of the original data is input into the receivervia the input unit.

The present invention is also directed to a method of transmitting databetween a transmitter and a receiver each connected to a network. Themethod includes the steps of: (a) causing the transmitter to transmitpreview data created corresponding to original data to the receiver; (b)causing the receiver to output a preview image represented by thepreview data when the receiver receives the preview data; (c) causingthe receiver to transmit a request for transfer of the original data tothe transmitter when an instruction for transfer of the original data isinput into the receiver; and (d) causing the transmitter to transmit theoriginal data to at least one of the receiver and another apparatusconnected to the network when the transmitter receives the request fortransfer.

The present invention is also directed to a computer program productthat causes a computer to transmit data to a receiver via a network. Thecomputer program product includes: a computer readable medium; a firstprogram code unit that causes the computer to transmit preview datacreated corresponding to original data to the receiver; a second programcode unit that causes the computer to receive a request for transfer ofthe original data when the receiver transmits the request for transfer;and a third program code unit that causes the computer to transmit theoriginal data to at least one of the receiver and another apparatusconnected to the network, when the computer receives the request fortransfer, wherein each of the program code units is stored on thecomputer readable medium.

The present invention is also directed to a computer program productthat causes a computer to receive data from a transmitter via a network.The computer program product includes: a computer readable medium; afirst program code unit that causes the computer to receive preview datacreated corresponding to original data when the transmitter transmitsthe preview data; a second program code unit that causes the computer tooutput a preview image represented by the preview data when the computerreceives the preview data; and a third program code unit that causes thecomputer to transmit a request for transfer of the original data to thetransmitter when the computer receives an instruction for transfer ofthe original data, wherein each of the program code units is stored onthe computer readable medium.

In the arrangement of the present invention, the transmitter transmitsthe preview data, which has been created corresponding to the originaldata, to the receiver. The receiver then outputs the preview imagerepresented by the transmitted preview data to enable the visual check.For example, the receiver causes the preview image represented by thepreview data to be displayed on the screen of a monitor or to be printedon printing paper by a printer, in order to enable the user to visuallycheck the output.

The user of the receiver visually checks the preview image representedby the preview data and determines whether or not the original datacorresponding to the preview data. In the case where the correspondingoriginal data is required, the user inputs an instruction for transferof the original data to the receiver through the operation of the inputunit. The receiver transmits a request for transfer of the original datato the transmitter in response to the input instruction. The transmitterreceives the request for transfer and transmits the required originaldata to a preset apparatus. The preset apparatus may be identical withor different from the receiver.

The data transfer system of the present invention transmits the previewdata irrespective of the intentions of the user of the receiver. Thepreview data has, however, an extremely smaller data capacity than thatof the original data. This accordingly does not wastefully consume thecommunication resources or the resources of the receiver. The receivervisually checks the contents of the preview data and issues a requestfor transfer of only the required original data, so as to enable onlythe required original data to be received by a preset apparatus. Thisarrangement effectively prevents the communication resources and theresources in the receiver from being wastefully consumed.

These and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image data transfer system ina first embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an example of the image data transfer system of FIG. 1actualized on the Internet;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing routine executed in the datatransfer system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows one exemplified window for print settings displayed on thescreen of a monitor 150 based on user interface data;

FIG. 5 shows another exemplified window for print settings displayed onthe screen of the monitor 150 based on the user interface data; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a mobileterminal 400 used in an image data transfer system in a secondembodiment according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an image data transfer system ina first embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows anexample of the image data transfer system of FIG. 1 actualized on theInternet.

The image data transfer system of the embodiment includes a computersystem 100 in an image receiver apparatus and an image data server 200.The computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus is connectedwith the image data server 200 via the Internet 500 as shown in FIG. 2.A computer system 300 in an image transmitter apparatus as well as amobile terminal 400 is also connected to the Internet 500. Although therespective apparatuses are directly connected to the Internet in theillustration of FIG. 2, these apparatuses are generally connected to theInternet 500 indirectly via a telephone communication network or anothernetwork, such as LAN.

Referring to FIG. 1, the computer system 100 in the image receiverapparatus includes a CPU 110 that carries out a variety of processingand control operations according to computer programs, an I/O unit 120that transmits data to and from a variety of peripheral devices, and amemory 130, in which the computer programs are stored and data obtainedin the course of processing are temporarily registered. The computersystem 100 further includes an input device 140 that is used to input,for example, an instruction from a user, a monitor 150, on which thecontents of data are displayed, a communication device 160 thatcommunicates with another apparatus via the network, a hard disk drive170, in which a variety of data are stored, a printer 180 that is usedto print the contents of data, and a CD-ROM drive 190.

The CPU 110 carries out the processing and control operations accordingto the computer programs, so as to function as a transmission controlunit 111, an input control unit 112, a display control unit 113, and aprint control unit 114.

Like the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus, the imagedata server 200 includes a CPU 210, an I/O unit 220, a memory 230, aninput device 240, a monitor 250, a communication device 260, a hard diskdrive 270, and a CD-ROM drive 290.

The CPU 210 carries out a variety of processing and control operationsaccording to computer programs stored in the memory 230, so as tofunction as a transmission control unit 211, an input control unit 212,a display control unit 213, and a preview data generation unit 218.

In this embodiment, the computer programs (that is, applicationsprograms) recorded in recording media, CD-ROMs 195 and 295 arerespectively read by the CD-ROM drives 190 and 290 and taken into thecomputer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus and the image dataserver 200. The input computer programs are transferred to the hard diskdrives 170 and 270 and transmitted to the memories 130 and 230, forexample, at the time of starting the operation.

This embodiment utilizes the CD-ROMs as the recording media, in whichthe computer programs are recorded in a computer readable manner. Avariety of other computer readable media may also be used for therecording media; for example, flexible disks, magneto-optic discs, ICcards, ROM cartridges, punched cards, prints with bar codes or othercodes printed thereon, and internal storage devices (memories, such asRAM and ROM) and external storage devices of the computer.

Instead of reading the computer programs stored in such recording media,the user may access a program server (not shown) for supplying computerprograms via the network and take the computer programs from the programserver into the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus orthe image data server 200.

Part of the computer programs may be replaced by the operating system.

In this embodiment, the software actualizes the functions of thetransmission control unit 111, the input control unit 112, the displaycontrol unit 113, and the print control unit 114 in the computer system100 of the image receiver apparatus as well as the transmission controlunit 211, the input control unit 212, the display control unit 213, andthe preview data generation unit 218 in the image data server 200. Thefunctions of these units may otherwise be actualized by the hardwarestructure.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing routine executed in the datatransfer system of FIG. 1. The fundamental operation of this embodimentis described by referring to the flowchart of FIG. 3. Here it is assumedthat required image data is transferred from the computer system 300 inthe image transmitter apparatus to the computer system 100 in the imagereceiver apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 2, the computer system 300 in the image transmitterapparatus transmits required image data to the image data server 200 viathe Internet at step S20. The image data, for example, consists ofgray-scaled bit-map data of R, G, and B. In the image data server 200shown in FIG. 1, the communication device 260 receives the transmittedimage data, and the transmission control unit 211 of the CPU 210 storesthe input image data into the hard disk drive 270 via the I/O unit 220.The hard disk drive 270 stores such transmitted image data as well asuser interface data discussed later.

The preview data generation unit 218 reads the image data from the harddisk drive 270, generates preview data based on the input image data,and stores the preview data into the hard disk drive 270 at step S22.One concrete procedure causes the image data to undergo an imageprocessing operation, such as a data skipping operation, and generatesreduced image data as the preview data. Another concrete procedureextracts attribute information (for example, the creator or transmitterof the image, the date of creation, the name and the type of the image)from the information attached to the image data and generates attributedata as the preview data.

The transmission control unit 211 subsequently reads the generatedpreview data from the hard disk drive 270 and transmits the inputpreview data via the communication device 260 to the client or thecomputer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus at step S24. Thetransmission control unit 211 also reads the user interface data fromthe hard disk drive 270 and transmits the input user interface data tothe computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus at step S26.

In the computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus, thecommunication device 160 receives the transmitted preview data and userinterface data, and the transmission control unit 111 of the CPU 110stores the input preview data and user interface data into the hard diskdrive 170 via the I/O unit 120.

When the user of the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatusinputs an instruction for displaying a preview image through theoperation of the input device 140, the input control unit 112 transmitsthe instruction to the display control unit 113. The display controlunit 113 then reads the preview data and the user interface data fromthe hard disk drive 170 and causes the contents of the preview data andthe user interface data to be displayed on the screen of the monitor 150at step S28. A preview image corresponding to the preview data isaccordingly displayed in a window based on the user interface data onthe screen of the monitor 150.

The user checks the displayed preview image and determines whether ornot the original image data corresponding to the preview data isrequired at step S30. When the corresponding original image data is notrequired, the user inputs an instruction for terminating the display ofthe preview image and concludes a series of the processing. When thecorresponding original image data is required, on the other hand, theuser inputs an instruction for displaying a window for print settings,that is, a window for enabling input of various pieces of settinginformation that are used to print the image represented by the originalimage data on a sheet of printing paper. In one exemplified structure,the user interface data provides specific buttons in the window thatrespectively correspond to the instruction for terminating the displayof the preview image and the instruction for displaying the window forprint settings. The user clicks the required button through theoperation of the input device 140 to input the desired instruction.

In the case where the instruction for displaying the window for printsettings is input, the input control unit 112 transfers the instructionto the transmission control unit 111, and the transmission control unit111 transmits a request for transfer of the required user interfacedata, which is used to display the window for print settings, via thecommunication device 160 to the image data server 200 at step S32.

In the image data server 200, the communication device 260 receives thetransmitted request for transfer, and the transmission control unit 211reads the user interface data, which is used to display the window forprint settings, from the hard disk drive 270 and transmits the inputuser interface data to the computer system 100 in the image receiverapparatus via the communication device 260 at step S34.

In this embodiment, the user interface data provided in the image dataserver 200 is not exclusively used by the computer system 100 of theimage receiver apparatus, but is generally used by a large number ofclients connected to the Internet 500. The user interface data thusmainly consists of HTML data written in HTML (HyperText MarkupLanguage).

The Internet 500 is in the environment where various machine typescoexist. It is difficult for the image data server 200 to check themachine type of each client. In the case where the user interface datais generated according to a program that depends upon a specific machinetype and is supplied to each client, some clients naturally can notutilize the user interface data. It is, however, practically impossibleto provide the user interface data for each machine type and supply therequired user interface data corresponding to the machine type of eachclient. This embodiment thus generates the user interface data writtenin the HTML that is independent of the machine type and is easilyutilized.

The HTML data includes image data, such as GIF (graphics InterchangeFormat) and JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), and other datarelated thereto with predetermined tags. Data written in JAVA (aprogramming language developed by Sun Microsystems Corp.) that is alsoindependent of the machine type may be used instead of the HTML data.

In the computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus, when thecommunication device 160 receives the transmitted user interface data,while the transmission control unit 111 stores the input user interfacedata into the hard disk drive 170, the display control unit 113 displaysthe user interface window represented by the user interface data, thatis, the window for print settings, on the screen of the monitor 150 atstep S36. As described previously, the user interface data is the HTMLdata and thus readily displayed using a known Web browser software.

FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively show exemplified windows for print settingsdisplayed on the screen of the monitor 150, based on the transmitteduser interface data. FIG. 4 shows the window for paper settings, andFIG. 5 shows the window for print specification.

The window for paper settings as shown in FIG. 4 is first displayed onthe screen of the monitor 150. The user of the computer system 100 inthe image receiver apparatus inputs details of paper settings 151, whichinclude the paper size, the paper source, the orientation, and the printsize, corresponding to the printing paper set in the printer 180 throughthe operation of the input device 140. On conclusion of the input, theuser clicks an OK button 152. This causes the window for printspecification as shown in FIG. 5 to appear. The user then inputs detailsof print specification 154, which include the number of copies, theprinting range, the printing quality, the paper type, and the ink color,according to the requirements through the operation of the input device140. At step S38, the user clicks an OK button 155 when it is requiredto transmit the original image data and print the image represented bythe original image data, whereas the user clicks a Cancel button 156when it is not required.

The input control unit 112 transmits the various pieces of input settinginformation and the results of button clicking to the transmissioncontrol unit 111. In the case where the Cancel button 156 is clicked inthe window for print specification, the transmission control unit 111concludes the series of processing. In the case where the OK button 155is clicked in the window for print specification, on the other hand, thetransmission control unit 111 transmits a request for transfer of theoriginal image data as well as the input setting information to theimage data server 200 via the communication device 160 at step S40.

In the image data server 200, when the communication device 260 receivesthe transmitted request for transfer and setting information, thetransmission control unit 211 transmits back all or part of the settinginformation via the communication device 260 to the computer system 100in the image receiver apparatus at step S42. As described previously,the user interface data fed from the image data server 200 to thecomputer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus is the HTML data.The user interface data may thus have a mechanism for calling a softwarecomponent, in order to utilize a CGI (Common Gateway Interface) functionon the image data server 200. This embodiment takes advantage of thismechanism set in the user interface data and causes the settinginformation transmitted from the computer system 100 in the imagereceiver apparatus to be transmitted back from the image data server 200to the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus.

Simultaneously with transmitting back the setting information, thetransmission control unit 211 reads the original image data, which isthe target of the request for transfer, from the hard disk drive 270 andtransmits the original image data via the communication device 260 tothe computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus at step S42.

In the computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus, when thecommunication device 160 receives the transmitted setting informationand the original image data, the transmission control unit 111 transfersthe input setting information and original image data to the printcontrol unit 114. The print control unit 114 is actualized by a printerdriver software, which is exclusive for the printer 180, and includes aresolution conversion element 115, a color conversion element 116, and ahalftone processing element 117 as shown in FIG. 1.

The respective constituents of the print control unit 114 cause theinput image data to be subjected to the following processing operations,in order to create a desired printed image based on the input settinginformation. The resolution conversion element 115 first performs aresolution conversion process, such as interpolation or data skipping,for the input image data, so as to cause a printed image to have adesired resolution. The color conversion element 116 then converts theRGB image data into, for example, CYMK data corresponding to the inputof the printer 180. The halftone processing element 117 subsequentlycarries out a known dither operation or error diffusion operation forthe image data, so as to cause the printed image to attain a desiredtone expression.

On conclusion of the processing, the print control unit 114 outputs theprocessed image data via the I/O unit 120 to the printer 180, so thatthe printer 180 prints an image corresponding to the image data on theprinting paper at step S44.

In this manner, the image data is transmitted from the computer system300 of the image transmitter apparatus via the image data server 200 tothe computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus and is printedin the computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus. The user ofthe computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus can thus receivea desired image.

As described above, in this embodiment, the image data server 200generates preview data corresponding to the input image data andtransmits the preview data to the computer system 100 of the imagereceiver apparatus. This means that the preview data is transmitted tothe computer system 100 of the image receiver apparatus, irrespective ofthe intentions of the user of the computer system 100 in the imagereceiver apparatus (that is, the receiver). The preview data has,however, an extremely smaller data capacity than that of the originalimage data and thereby does not significantly increase the traffics onthe Internet 500 nor wastefully consumes the communication resources.The preview data does not wastefully consume the storage capacity of thehard disk drive 170 in the computer system 100 of the image receiverapparatus.

The arrangement of the embodiment enables the user of the computersystem 100 in the image receiver apparatus to check the contents of thepreview data and issue a request for transfer with respect to only therequired original image data, so as to selectively receive only therequired original image data. This effectively prevents thecommunication resources and the resources in the receiver apparatus frombeing wastefully consumed.

In this embodiment, the computer system 100 in the image receiverapparatus utilizes the user interface data provided by the image dataserver 200. Namely the computer system 100 in the image receiverapparatus is not required to provide a special user interface fordisplaying the window for print settings. A modification of the userinterface data in the image data server 200 enables the user interfacesto be changed at the same time in all the clients that utilize the userinterface data. This facilitates the maintenance and management of theuser interface. As discussed previously, the user interface dataconsists of the HTML data and is thereby independent of the machine typeof the client.

In the first embodiment discussed above, the original image data istransmitted to the apparatus that receives the transmitted preview data.In accordance with another configuration, the apparatus that receivesthe transmitted preview data may be different from the apparatus thatreceives the transmitted original image data. The following describessuch configuration as another embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the mobileterminal 400 used in the image data transfer system in a secondembodiment according to the present invention. The mobile terminal 400is connected to the Internet 500 as shown in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, the mobile terminal 400 includes a CPU 410 forcarrying out a variety of processing and control operations according toprograms, an I/O unit 420 that transmits data to and from a variety ofperipheral devices, a memory 430 that stores the programs andtemporarily registers data obtained in the course of the processing, aninput device 440 for inputting, for example, an instruction from theuser, a monitor 450 for displaying the contents of the data, and acommunication device 460 that carries out communication with anotherapparatus through the network.

The CPU 410 carries out the operations according to the programs andthereby functions as a transmission control unit 411, an input controlunit 412, and a display control unit 413.

In this embodiment, the variety of peripheral devices are integrallyattached to the mobile terminal 400. The mobile terminal 400 has thesize and the weight that enable the user to freely carry the mobileterminal 400.

In this embodiment, while the preview data is transmitted to the mobileterminal 400, the original image data is transmitted to the apparatusthat is specified by the user of the mobile terminal 400. As shown inFIG. 6, the mobile terminal 400 does not have a hard disk drive or aprinter. It is accordingly impossible for the mobile terminal 400 tostore the original image data and print the contents of the image dataeven when the original image data is transmitted from the image dataserver 200. The original image data is accordingly transmitted to adesired apparatus other than the mobile terminal 400.

The following describes the operations of the second embodiment withreferring to FIGS. 1 and 6. Among the operations of the secondembodiment, the operations up to generation of the preview data in theimage data server 200 are identical with those of the first embodimentand are thereby not specifically described here.

In the image data server 200, the transmission control unit 211 readsthe generated preview data from the hard disk drive 270 and transmitsthe preview data via the communication device 260 to the client ormobile terminal 400. The transmission control unit 211 also reads theuser interface data from the hard disk drive 270 and transmits the userinterface data to the mobile terminal 400.

In the mobile terminal 400, the communication device 460 receives thetransmitted preview data and user interface data, and the transmissioncontrol unit 411 of the CPU 410 stores the input preview data and userinterface data into the memory 430. The preview data has an extremelysmaller data capacity than that of the original image data and can thusbe stored in the memory 430 without any troubles.

When the user of the mobile terminal 400 inputs an instruction fordisplaying a preview image through the operation of the input device440, the input control unit 412 transfers the instruction to the displaycontrol unit 413. The display control unit 413 then reads the previewdata and the user interface data from the memory 430 and causes thecontents of the preview data and the user interface data on the screenof the monitor 450.

The user checks the preview image and determines whether or not theoriginal image data corresponding to the preview data is required. Whenthe corresponding original image data is required, the user inputs aninstruction for displaying the window for print settings. The inputcontrol unit 412 then transfers the instruction to the transmissioncontrol unit 411, and the transmission control unit 411 transmits arequest for transfer of the user interface data, which is used todisplay the window for print settings, to the image data server 200 viathe communication device 460.

In the image data server 200, the communication device 260 receives thetransmitted request for transfer, and the transmission control unit 211reads the user interface data for displaying the window for printsettings from the hard disk drive 270 and transmits the user interfacedata to the mobile terminal 400 via the communication device 260.

In the mobile terminal 400, the communication device 460 receives thetransmitted user interface data, and the transmission control unit 411stores the input user interface data into the memory 430. Simultaneouslythe display control unit 413 causes the user interface window of theuser interface data, that is, the window for print settings, to bedisplayed on the screen of the monitor 450.

The windows for print settings displayed in the second embodiment aresimilar to those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, except several additional dataareas. The additional data areas include a data area for setting anaddress of transmission of the image data and a data area for setting adate and time for reserved transmission of the image data.

Information representing the location of an apparatus, to which theoriginal image data is to be actually transmitted, (that is, anapparatus selected by the user to receive the original image data), onthe Internet 500 is input into the data area for setting the address oftransmission of the image data. Concrete examples of such informationinclude an IP (Internet Protocol) address or URL (Uniform ResourceLocator) of the desired apparatus. The apparatus, to which the originalimage data is to be transmitted, should have the capability to store thetransmitted image data and print the contents of the image data. It isthus required for the user of the mobile terminal 400 to specify anappropriate apparatus having such capability as the address oftransmission of the image data. In this embodiment, the computer system100 in the image receiver apparatus is specified as the address oftransmission of the image data. The user accordingly inputs the IPaddress of the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus intothe data area for setting the address of transmission of the image data.

The date and time, when the original image data is to be transmittedfrom the image data server 200 to the specified address, is input intothe data area for setting the date and time for reserved transmission ofthe image data. For example, when the computer system 100 in the imagereceiver apparatus specified as the address of transmission of the imagedata is remote from the mobile terminal 400, the user of the mobileterminal 400 can not grasp the current state of the computer system 100in the image receiver apparatus. Even when the image data is transmittedfrom the image data server 200, there is a possibility that the computersystem 100 in the image receiver apparatus can not receive the imagedata or print the contents of the image data. One preferable procedurespecifies in advance the date and time when the image data server 200will transmit the original image data and causes the computer system 100in the image receiver apparatus specified as the address of transmissionof the image data to prepare for receiving the image data. Thisarrangement enables the computer system 100 in the image receiverapparatus to securely receive the transmitted image data and print thecontents of the image data.

The input control unit 412 transmits the various pieces of input settinginformation and the results of button clicking to the transmissioncontrol unit 411. When the OK button 155 is clicked in the window forprint specification, the transmission control unit 411 transmits thesetting information as well as the request for transfer of the originalimage data to the image data server 200 via the communication device460.

In the image data server 200, when the communication device 260 receivesthe transmitted request for transfer and setting information, thetransmission control unit 211 sets the date and time for reservedtransmission of the image data into a timer while storing the settinginformation into the hard disk drive 270. The transmission control unit211 then reads the original image data, which is the target of therequest for transfer, and the setting information from the hard diskdrive 270 on the date and time set in the timer for reservedtransmission of the image data. The transmission control unit 211subsequently transmits the image data and the setting information to thecomputer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus, based on theinformation representing the address of transmission of the image data.

The operations after the transmission of the image data from the imagedata server 200 in the second embodiment are identical with those of thefirst embodiment and are thereby not specifically described here.

As described above, the structure of the second embodiment enables theuser of the mobile terminal 400 to visually check the preview imagedisplayed on the mobile terminal 400. In the case where the originalimage data corresponding to the preview data is required, the user canreceive the desired original image data in a desired apparatus.

The user interface data consists of the HTML data as describedpreviously. When the user interface data has the mechanism for callingthe software component to utilize the CGI, the mobile terminal 400 canremote control the functions of the image data server 200. Thisarrangement enables the image data server 200 to be in charge of thehigh-performance processing, when the CPU 410 of the mobile terminal 400has a relatively low processing capacity.

The present invention is not restricted to the above embodiments ortheir modifications, but there may be many other modifications, changes,and alterations without departing from the scope or spirit of the maincharacteristics of the present invention.

In the above embodiments, the preview data is generated in the imagedata server 200. It is, however, not necessary to generate the previewdata in the image data server 200. Another possible applicationgenerates the preview data in the computer system 300 of the imagetransmitter apparatus and transmits the preview data together with thecorresponding original image data to the image data server 200.

In the above embodiments, the required image data is once transmittedfrom the computer system 300 in the image transmitter apparatus to theimage data server 200. The preview data and the image data are thentransmitted from the image data server 200 to the receiver, for example,the computer system 100 in the image receiver apparatus or the mobileterminal 400. The principle of the present invention is, however, notrestricted to this arrangement. In the case where the computer system300 in the image transmitter apparatus has the functions equivalent tothose of the image data server 200, the preview data and the image datamay be transmitted directly from the computer system 300 in the imagetransmitter apparatus to the receiver.

The above embodiments regard the transmission of image data. Theprinciple of the present invention is, however, not restricted to thisarrangement, but is applicable for transmission of text data. Namely,the ‘original data’ in this specification means various types of data,such as image data and text data. In the case of transmission of textdata, the preview data generated corresponding to the text data may beabstract data representing an abstract of the text data, extraction datarepresenting first several rows in the text data, or attribute dataobtained by extracting the attribute information attached to the textdata as discussed in the above embodiments. Namely, the ‘preview image’in this specification means various types of images represented by data,such as preview image data and preview text data.

In the above embodiments, the image data server 200 is connected to thereceiver via the Internet 500. The principle of the present inventionis, however, not restricted to the Internet, but these apparatuses maybe connected to each other via a telephone communication network, a LAN,a WAN (including an intranet), or any other network.

In the above embodiments, the contents of the preview data are displayedon the screen of the monitor. Alternatively the contents of the previewdata may be printed on the printing paper with the printer. The contentsof the image data are printed on the printing paper with the printer inthe above embodiments. Alternatively the contents of the image data maybe displayed on the screen of the monitor. Both the data may be outputby any output means other than the monitor or the printer, in order toenable the user to visually check the contents of the data.

In the above embodiment, the image data transmitted from the computersystem 300 in the image transmitter apparatus to the receiver via theimage data server 200 consists of the gray-scale bit-map data of R, G,and B. The principle of the present invention is, however, notrestricted to such image data, but is applicable to any image datahaving the data structure that is independent of the control codes ofthe printer or the like.

It should be clearly understood that the above embodiments are onlyillustrative and not restrictive in any sense. The scope and spirit ofthe present invention are limited only by the terms of the appendedclaims.

1-4. (canceled)
 5. A transmitter for transmitting data to a receiver viaa network, the transmitter comprising: a memory that stores originaldata; a transmission unit that transmits the original data and previewdata corresponding to the original data; and a controller that controlsoperation of the transmitter, the controller causing the transmissionunit to send the preview data to the receiver, the controller causingthe transmission unit to send the original data stored in the memory toat least one of the receiver and an apparatus connected to the networkwhen receiving a request for transfer of the original data transmittedfrom the receiver via the transmission unit.
 6. A receiver for receivingdata from a transmitter via a network, the receiver comprising: atransmission unit that receives at least preview data corresponding tooriginal data; an input unit; an output unit; and a controller thatcontrols operation of the receiver, the controller causing the outputunit to output a preview image represented by the preview data whenreceiving the preview data transmitted from the transmitter via thetransmission unit, the controller causing the transmission unit to senda request for transfer of the original data to the transmitter when aninstruction for transfer of the original data is input into the receivervia the input unit.
 7. A method of transmitting data between atransmitter and a receiver each connected to a network, the methodcomprising the steps of: (a) causing the transmitter to transmit previewdata corresponding to original data to the receiver; (b) causing thereceiver to output a preview image represented by the preview data whenthe receiver receives the preview data; (c) causing the receiver totransmit a request for transfer of the original data to the transmitterwhen an instruction for transfer of the original data is input into thereceiver; and (d) causing the transmitter to transmit the original datato at least one of the receiver and an apparatus connected to thenetwork when the transmitter receives the request for transfer. 8-9.(canceled)
 10. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein the step (c)comprises the step of: causing the receiver to transmit addressinformation that specifies a location on the network, to which theoriginal data is to be transmitted, together with the request fortransfer of the original data to the transmitter when the receiverreceives the address information together with the instruction fortransfer of the original data, and wherein the step (d) comprises thestep of: causing the transmitter to transmit the original data to thelocation specified by the address information when the transmitterreceives the address information together with the request for transfer.11. A computer program product that causes a computer to transmit datato a receiver via a network, the computer program product comprising: acomputer readable medium; a first program code unit that causes thecomputer to transmit preview data corresponding to original data to thereceiver; a second program code unit that causes the computer to receivea request for transfer of the original data when the receiver transmitsthe request for transfer; and a third program code unit that causes thecomputer to transmit the original data to at least one of the receiverand an apparatus connected to the network when the computer receives therequest for transfer, wherein each of the program code units is storedon the computer readable medium. 12-13. (canceled)
 14. A computerprogram product in accordance with claim 11, wherein the second programcode unit causes the computer to receive address information thatspecifies a location on the network, to which the original data is to betransmitted, together with the request for transfer of the original datawhen the receiver transmits the address information together with therequest for transfer, and wherein the third program code unit causes thecomputer to transmit the original data to the location specified by theaddress information when the computer receives the address informationtogether with the request for transfer.
 15. A computer program productthat causes a computer to receive data from a transmitter via a network,the computer program product comprising: a computer readable medium; afirst program code unit that causes the computer to receive preview datacorresponding to original data when the transmitter transmits thepreview data; a second program code unit that causes the computer tooutput a preview image represented by the preview data when the computerreceives the preview data; and a third program code unit that causes thecomputer to transmit a request for transfer of the original data to thetransmitter when the computer receives an instruction for transfer ofthe original data, wherein each of the program code units is stored onthe computer readable medium. 16-17. (canceled)
 18. A computer programproduct in accordance with claim 15, wherein the third program code unitcauses the computer to transmit address information that specifies alocation on the network, to which the original data is to betransmitted, together with the request for transfer of the original datato the transmitter when the computer receives the address informationtogether with the instruction for transfer of the original data.
 19. Thetransmitter in accordance with claim 5, wherein the preview data isattached to the original data.
 20. The transmitter in accordance withclaim 5, wherein the preview data has a smaller data capacity than thatof the original data.
 21. The receiver in accordance with claim 6,wherein the preview data is attached to the original data.
 22. Thereceiver in accordance with claim 6, wherein the preview data has asmaller data capacity than that of the original data.
 23. The method inaccordance with claim 7, wherein the preview data is attached to theoriginal data.
 24. The method in accordance with claim 7, wherein thepreview data has a smaller data capacity than that of the original data.25. The computer program product in accordance with claim 11, whereinthe preview data is attached to the original data.
 26. The computerprogram product in accordance with claim 11, wherein the preview datahas a smaller data capacity than that of the original data.
 27. Thecomputer program product in accordance with claim 15, wherein thepreview data is attached to the original data.
 28. The computer programproduct in accordance with claim 15, wherein the preview data has asmaller data capacity than that of the original data.